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Victor Hoffman
"Guns and bombs don't kill people. Clever scientists who want to build a better method of destruction kill people - lots of them. Most of my Gears couldn't make anything more lethal than a blade or a bow. So you'll forgive me if I think it stinks that my Gears get your "baby-killer" crap and your educated colleagues get research grants. And that's before you start inventing other shit you can't control." :— Victor Hoffman, during a frank exchange with a student at Lacroix University four years before E-day Colonel Victor S. Hoffman4 is the current chief of Defense Staff of Coalition of Ordered Governments and former director of special forces, answering only to Chairman Richard Prescott. He is a battlefield commander, and had fought alongside his fellow Gears in both the Pendulum Wars and the Locust-Human War. A military man to the core, Hoffman demands discipline and sacrifice from those under his command. Hoffman's strict adherence to these ideals has caused him to cross swords with Marcus Fenix. Hoffman's testimony helped convict Marcus of dereliction of duty, although Hoffman later promoted him to sergeant out of necessity. As the war with the Locust escalates, Hoffman must put aside his doubts and rely again on Marcus and Delta Squad. Biography Pendulum Wars Before Emergence Day, Hoffman began his career as a NCO. He later married a woman by the name of Margaret, who, according to him, "didn't mind that his job kept him away from her almost constantly." Hoffman was a Major in the late stages of the war. He served at both the Siege of Anvil Gate and at Aspho Fields in a Commando Squad during Operation Leveler, with Dominic Santiago, and was part of an intelligence team before the operation took place. Hoffman views the Siege of Anvil Gate as the prime of his military career, and the only time when he wrote his wife a letter that actually carried any emotion. After the battle of Aspho Fields, the now Col.Hoffman insulted and publicly embarrassed Chairman Dalyell at an award ceremony. Hoffman was angry that the Pesang troops could not receive Embry Stars for their service in the assault on Aspho Point, calling it "xenophobic bullshit". He complained that the fact that they volunteered to help, despite not being a COG territory, made them deserve the award more than any of the COG's men. The newly promoted Colonel Hoffman would never receive any other promotion even after 15 years of participating in the Human-Locust War. Post Emergence Day He evidently had a large role in landing Marcus Fenix in prison. Colonel Hoffman has seen his fair share of wars and has worked alongside a number of good men. As far as he is concerned, Marcus isn't one of them. Hoffman's strict adherence to military procedure was what landed Marcus in prison, but his inability to forgive and forget is what kept him there. Hoffman was one of three people that had Hammer of Dawn command keys and was part of firing it. He didn't warn his wife and she was furious with him over it and took off to find her sister. Hoffman tried to stop her, knowing either way their marriage was over but wanting her to survive, but failed and his wife, Margret, presumbaly died in the strike alongside her sister. Lightmass Offensive Hoffman during the Lightmass OffensiveStrangely, after Lieutenant Minh Young Kim's death, Hoffman promotes Marcus to Sergeant, recognizing his talent despite his hatred. It may also allude to the possibility of Hoffman forgiving him and working only on what's at stake. Later on, he would trust Marcus with the most important task at hand, that of retrieving the Sonic Resonator and delivering it into The Hollow through the Lethia Imulsion Facility. After killing General RAAM, Hoffman considers whether or not to pull Marcus into a King Raven as he is struggling to climb aboard. Eventually he offers him his hand, symbolizing that Victor has forgiven Marcus, and is willing to co-operate with him in the future. edit North Gate Hoffman took personal command of an armored convoy to evacuate the North Gate farming zone. During the events of the evacuation, Hoffman encountered new Stranded camps that were style in Pre-E-Day. He learned both facts and rumors that the war was truly Cog-favored, and that the Locust were on the "retreat," after securing the depot and the COG Engineering Corps's job of loading up all the equipment was nearly done. The 50 truck convoy with 3 APCs and support disembarked and left the Deport in the hands of the sappers. During the trip home he was wounded by Locust Drones and was sent to Wrightman Hospital to be treated by Dr.Hayman. There he was able to bury the hatchet with Marcus, regarding Marcus's abandonment of his post during the fall of Ephyra: Hoffman apologizes for leaving Marcus in the Slab during the opening shots of the Lightmass Offensive. Operation: Hollow Storm Colonel Hoffman, along with Chairman Richard Prescott, planned Operation Hollow Storm, a counterattack into the Hollow. During the events of the battle for the Hollow, Hoffman ordered Delta Squad to investigate New Hope Research Facility. When Jacinto came under direct Locust attack, Colonel Hoffman took up arms with Sergeant Fenix and Corporal Santiago to help defend COG's communication tower. After the sinking of Jacinto he was able to escape along with the rest of the Command staff in a King Raven. Jacinto's Remnant Hoffman learns of what Dom did to Maria and is horrified, but like Delta and Anya decides to keep it a secret for Dom's sake. He remains as second in command under Prescott and is pissed that Prescott kept the information on the New Hope Facility from him for so long and demands to know all classified data on COG outposts which Prescott agrees to, but apprently never really does. Hoffman presses Prescott to move Jacinto's survivors to a more habitable location then Port Farrall like an island and when reunites with his old friend Quentin Michaelson when looking for information on the Port Farrall base. Later, Hoffman gets pissed when it turns out that Prescott kept information from him about the Vectes Naval Base and decides to assign Delta Squad and Bernie Mataki to a recon mission. At Anya's request he assigns her to the mission as well as she wants to be more front-line and sends her to find Marcus to talk about the recon. It's shown that he feels bad about what he did to Marcus (and Anya by extension: it's indicated that he's aware of their feelings for each other) and is trying to make up for it in whatever way he can. Anya believes that if Dom hadn't rescued Marcus, Hoffman eventually would have instead of just leaving him there to rot. Hoffman is later relieved to learn of Vectes sutabiliaty and infurirated at the information of Bernie's rape years before. Hoffman offers the Stranded amnesty and has Bernie check for any criminals. When she finds her rapist, Jonn Massy, Hoffman helps catch him. Hoffman later interogates and nearly executes him, but leaves him to Bernie to decide what to do with him. After the UIR survivors join the Jacinto survivors, Hoffman finds Dom and talks to him about the death of his own wife in the Hammer of Dawn strikes. Hoffman points out that Dom was there for Maria at her end when he couldn't be for his own wife which is something he wishes he was. Talking about this with Dom seems to help both of them and Hoffman enjoys a drink in the officer's mess before word of the Stranded attack reaches them. Personality and Traits Col.Hoffman is a by the book soldier known to lead his men into combat. He has a great respect for the Pesang people, which led him to publicly disrespect Chairman Dalyell in an award ceremony. Hoffman has an unusual way of showing his care for his Gears by structuring his kindness into orders, a practice dubbed "Hoffmanese". After Sgt.Fenix's desertion, Hoffman took his recklessness personally and helped give him a 40 year sentence, but would later make amends. Hoffman has a great distaste for the Stranded, viewing them as traitors not only to the COG but the Human race. Multiplayer In Gears of War, Hoffman was the announcer for the COG side. He is replaced by Chairman Richard Prescott in Gears of War 2. Hoffman is also a playable character in all online Multiplayer modes. He acts as the leader of the COG forces on Assassination, with the current best player on the team playing as him. Notable Quotes :"I miss my NCO days" :— After agreeing to torch 90% of Sera to denied the Locust anymore assets. :"I'm an idiot. If I'd been killed, guess who would take over? Ried or McLintock. Kiss humanity good-bye. Assholes, both of them." :— Hoffman inner after getting shot during the Evacuation of North Gate. :"You! A traitor like you doesn't deserve to wear the uniform." :— Victor Hoffman to Marcus Fenix upon the latter's release from prison :"I expect you to give me 110%, Fenix!" :— Victor Hoffman, talking to Marcus Fenix after briefing Lieutenant Minh Young Kim :"Forget the medals. Am I prepared to swap places with you, Sergeant." :— Then Major Hoffman to the grave of a Embry Star recipients. :"You dicked around and cost men's lives, Sergeant. '''Like I never did?' You cost us Jacinto. Your father just snapped his fingers, and bang, you leave your men and stroll off with the targeting laser. You think that doesn't make you an asshole, at the very least? You got a buddy like Dom, who'd shit his last drop of blood for you, who put you first even when his wife went missing, and you do that to men depending on you? " :— Hoffman to Sgt. Fenix after the Evacuation of North Gate at Wrightman Base. :"''I don't know his name. I don't know anything about him, other than that he was a guard at Aspho Point, his name wasn't Natan, and of if he had been one of my men, I'd have been proud of him. Make sure he isn't forgotten" :— A heavily redacted official report of the Aspho point Raid from Major Victor Hoffman, found in the Vaults of the Ostri embassy, Jacinto; Stamped Uncirculated